On hearing "That guy's a pimp," would you assume
he sells the "services" of women? Well, stop thinking
like a new recruit at the precinct. Slang has once again
transformed a formerly dirty word (like "dope") into a
positive thing. And because kids of all ages are scrambling to wear
what they have to say across their chests, one word can mean dollar
signs.

This year, "pimp" will mean $2 million-plus for
33-year-old Rocky Batty's Boston, Massachusetts, clothing
company, Original Pimpgear. The DJ and longtime devotee to
hip-hop culture admits it wasn't until about three years after
launching his line of hats and T-shirts for guys, along with his
Pimpgirl line for girls, that he realized a few logos and some
attitude could be a viable business. Demand from chain boutiques,
music stores like Sam Goody and skate shops confirmed his
notion.

Batty had been hearing about "pimpin' the mic"
since the late '80s, both in rap music and around the hip-hop
scene. And by the time he called his mom to tell her that her son
owned the word "pimp" (he registered it in 1993), he
could explain how its positive nature fits everyone from a
12-year-old boy to a 20-year-old woman. He insists it's nothing
to do with race, gender, leopard-skin furniture or fedoras, but
rather doing your own thing and not prostituting yourself to
anyone. Clothing e-tailers SeriousPimp.com and PimpIt.com have
already followed suit.